Scientists from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new diagnostic framework to better understand and analyze the complex isoneutral oceanic mesoscale eddy transport in the vast Southern Ocean. The study was published in Journal of Advances in Earth System Modeling on July 8.
Mesoscale eddies, which contain most of the ocean’s kinetic energy, impact ocean material transport, momentum budgets, and interactions with large-scale and submesoscale ocean circulation.
The study offers a more nuanced view of eddy potential vorticity (PV) transport dynamics. “In this new framework, we introduce the Leonard decomposition into large eddy simulations and the stationary-transient decomposition to create a more holistic picture of transport through ocean eddies,” said Xie Jingwei, a Ph.D. candidate of the IAP and first author of the study.
Originally proposed for atmospheric flows in the 1960s, large eddy simulation (LES) has become an excellent and successful method for simulating turbulent flows, especially when integrated with large-scale ocean models. This research also introduces several LES concepts, which hopefully will illuminate any potential ocean modeling and parameterization.
The researchers applied their diagnostic method to realistic Southern Ocean model data and investigated eddy transport with respect to scale dependence, potential enstrophy, and anisotropy. “By systematically investigating the multiscale dynamic properties of the generalized eddy PV flux and the corresponding PV transport tensor, our study can provide theoretical support for any potential parameterization,” Xie said.
While the diagnostic framework may seem highly technical, its appropriate application may help fill the knowledge gaps between ocean dynamics and ocean modeling.
More information:
Jingwei Xie et al, A Multifaceted Isoneutral Eddy Transport Diagnostic Framework and Its Application in the Southern Ocean, Journal of Advances in Earth System Modeling (2023). DOI: 10.1029/2023MS003728
Awarded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Citation: New diagnostic framework offers insights into ocean eddy transport in the Southern Ocean (2023, July 24) retrieved 24 July 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-07-diagnostic-framework-insights-ocean-eddy.html
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